Record-high temperatures and drought resulted in little snow and an early thaw in the region last year, leading several business owners to write it off as a lost winter.

The governors of both Michigan and Wisconsin eventually encouraged small businesses affected by the lack of snow to apply for Economic Injury Disaster Loans made available through the U.S. Small Business Administration. The loans helped pay operating expenses and provide working capital to survive until normal operations resumed.

But this winter hasn’t been normal, either. Snowfall through much of the region again has been scant, especially in northern Wisconsin, though temperatures in general have been colder.

So how are businesses doing this winter? The answers vary.

BEN PETERSON OF Redline Sport and Marine had snowmobile sales and service grind to a halt with the local lack of snow, but reports strong sales of motorcycles and ATV/UTVs. (Jim Paul/Daily News photo)

Ken Hein, owner of Thermal Chaos in Dunbar, Wis., said the trail in front of the tavern that normally would be busy with snowmobilers trying to enjoy the waning days of the season closed Monday after only being open a couple of weeks.

“We had two good weekends and they were open for three,” Hein said. “We had snow on a weekend and they opened the trails up but not many people came that weekend because the snow was statewide. But the last two weekends were really good. Mother Nature really dictates our schedule.”

A good winter for Hein, however, would be eight good weekends. He had to lay off one employee most of the winter while he and wife Culleen handled everything themselves; they only opened two days a week until the trails became usable.

Good ice fishing conditions this year did bring in some customers, he said.

The trail through Dunbar does remain open to ATV/UTV traffic, but that will end March 7 for the spring break up.

THERMAL CHAOS OF Dunbar, Wis., only benefited from open snowmobile trails for two weeks this winter and had to reduce hours. (Jim Paul/Daily News photo)

Once again, Hein will have to look to spring for ATV/UTV traffic to pick up.

Redline Sport and Marine of Norway relied on sales in other areas of the business to make up for a bad year in 2023-24 for snowmobile sales and service.

“Last year was terrible, this year a little better,” owner Ben Peterson said. “Before this warm snap where we lost all our snow, things really picked up and we had been servicing quite a few snowmobiles and we saw quite the increase in parts sales but now that it has warmed up it is slowing down again.”

Peterson said he does not sell or service many snowmobiles ahead of time in anticipation of an upcoming winter — people tend to not think about snowmobiling until the snow actually starts falling, he explained. Much of the service he’s done on snowmobiles this winter has been for people taking them farther north in the U.P., where there was much more snow, he added.

Peterson said his crew kept busy last year doing service work on boats. This year, Peterson said ATV/UTV and motorcycle sales have been really strong and they are making deals on remaining 2024 models.

The results have been even better for area ski hills. While not much natural snow fell, this year’s colder temperatures have made for good snowmaking conditions, hill operators said.

Norway Mountain’s first year back in business is going well, with more people finding out every week that the hill has reopened, owner Justin Hoppe said.

The snowmaking machinery they added allowed Norway Mountain to open in mid-December and reached the 100% open milestone on Wednesday despite temperatures near 50 degrees.

“We made enough (snow) to cover the whole mountain,” Hoppe said. “A little extra (natural) snow would be awesome right now, though.”

Most of Norway Mountain has a base of around 30 inches, with spots having 4 to 6 feet, Hoppe reports.

Hoppe hopes to keep the hill open through March and said people purchasing next year’s season pass can ski the remainder of this year for free.

Pine Mountain Ski Resort in Iron Mountain had done well, too, thanks to being able to make snow early, Director of Ski Operations Braeden Wixom said.

Only about half of the runs opened last winter and not until the beginning of January. This year, 95% of the hill can be used, with a base of 3 to 4 feet. Wixom said the number of skiers is up significantly from last year.

Pine Mountain Ski Resort also plans to be open through March, with the Cardboard Classic happening on March 8, the King and Queen of the Mountain on March 15, an expanded terrain park on March 22 and the Slush Cup — an event in which competitors try to ski or snowboard across a manmade slush pond — closing out the year.